Sleeping-car



(No Model.)

J. A. SLEIGHER.

SLEEPING UAR.

Patented Apr. 14, 1885.

H Inveniar &

71 :5Zhesses:

filNiTnn STaTns PATENT @rricn.

JOHh A. SLEIGHER, OF ALBANY, NEXV YORK.

SLEEPENGJHRR.

SPECIFICATION forming part; of Letters Patent No. 315,851, dated April 11885.

Application filed November 11, 1854. (X0 model.)

I!" 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN A. SLEICHER, a resident of the city of Albany,in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Sleeping-Cars; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact descrip tion of the invention,that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

My invention relates to improvements in sleeping-cars, and moreparticularly to interchangeable seats and berths therein.

The objects of my invention arc, first, to provide end screens or panelsfor the upper berths; second, to' provide a hinged shelf or table infront of each seat that may be adjusted at different angles or foldeddown against the back of the seat next in front; third, to provide ahinged molding that will cover and ornament the backs of seats and theirmovable attachments when used as a seat, and serve as a guide andsupport to the sliding partition used with the berths; fourth, toprovide a small folding receptacle for clothing upon the backs of seatsthat will be concealed from sight when the seats are used as seats, butwill be conveniently accessible when the seats are used for berths.

My invention consists in improvements upon the form of constructionreferred to and described in Letters Patent No. 281,410, issued to me bythe United States July 17, 1883, and

more particularly of folding end screens or panels for the upper berthshinged to the vertically-slidingpartitions; second, of an adjustably-hinged shelf or table in front of the individual seats; third,of a combined back cover or ornament and partition guide support hingedto a seat-back; fourth, of a receptacle for clothing secured to the backof a car-scat and concealed fromview by a vertically-sliding panel orpartition.

Figure l of the drawings is a vertical longitudinal section of a portionof asleeping-car, showing by vertical cross-section a seat as arrangedfor a seat and as arranged when used for berths, and an end elevation ofanother seat with the hinged molding O raised to avertical position.Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the upper portion of a seat-back. Fig. 3is a top plan view of the right-hand portion of Fig. 2.

A is a seat frame fixed to extend transversely ofa railway-car.

The seat-back B is provided with an offset, F, hinged thereto at itsupper end.

The back 9 is hinged to the offset and the seat S to the back. The seatis converted into an upper and lower berth by changing the parts fromthe position shown in the righthand portion of Fig. 1 to that shown inthe middle portion. The offset is first raised to a vertical position,forming an extension of the seat-back B, the back 9 and seatS beingraised to a common horizontal plane extending outward from the upper endof the offset. The sliding partition H is then slid upward until thelower side of the screen is above the seat S and back 9 and mattress mor other clothing thereon, at which point the screen or panel or suchanalogous device as may be used is swung out from the sliding partitionH, to one end of which one end of the panel is hinged across themattress, which forms the upper berth. The screen thus serves to form aprotecting wall or partition at one end of the upper berth, and theremay be one at each end of the berth, each folding in against thevertically-sliding partition H.

The leaf is hinged to the sliding partitions at their upper edges, and,being adapted to swing out from the partition, is provided with hingedarms t, adapted to hold the leaf at a desired angle, as shown by dottedlines in the right-hand section of Fig. 1. The foot of the brace restsupon suitable supports upon the partition H or seat-back, which may beranged at intervals suitable to adjust the leaf to occupy differentangles, thereby affording a convenient shelf or table for the occupantsof the seat next in the rear.

Just below the space occupied by screen a when folded up in the seat Iplace a folding bracket or receptacle, n, for articles of clothing, andsecure the same to the stationary seat-back B, as shown in Fig. 1.

\Vhen the car is arranged for berths, the receptacle is made accessibleand opens by falling outward from the seatback to the open ICQ portionshown by dotted lines in central sec tion of Fig. 1... 7

When the car is arranged for seats, the folding receptacle is foldedback against the seatback and hidden from view by the sliding partition,which slides down in front of it.

The molding c is hinged at one end to the stationary seat in such amanner that when in a horizontal position it conceals the upper edges ofthe leaf, sliding partition, and folding screens, and when swung up to avertical position it serves as a guide and support for the slidingpartition, being provided with a groove, m, in which the partitionslides. The molding is made in two sections, one being hinged to eachend of the seat, folding down so that their swingingends meet on top ofthe seat-back.

The sections may be of unequal lengths, the one hinged to the end of aseat farthest removed from the side wall of the car beingof sufficientlength to reach up to a fixed support at or near the top of the car.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is+ I 1. Ina sleeping-car, vertically-sliding partitions provided with one or morescreens or panels hinged thereto to swing horizontally for the purposeof forming inclosed sections for berths, substantially as described.

2. In a sleeping-car, a combined covering for a seat-back andguiding-support for a sliding partition of a berth-section hinged at oneend of said seat-back to swing to and fro from a horizontal to avertical position, in combination with said partition and seat-back,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day ofOctober, 1884.

JOHN A. SLEIOHER.

WVitnesses:

GEo. A. MosHER, I. N. SAMMons.

